Fall is a brilliant time of year for portrait photographers. The warm golden light makes your models glow. The vibrant autumn colours make your backgrounds look majestic. All in all, this season is ideal for experimenting with different fall photoshoot ideas.
But where should you start? If you don’t know which direction to go in, consider using these ideas to enhance your fall photoshoot experience.
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Start Indoors
In some countries, fall goes hand in hand with unpredictable weather. If you can’t go out and shoot right now, why not have a cozy fall photoshoot indoors?
Ask your model to sit next to a large window. Ideally, you should have a view of a forest of a park. Your model can look out of the window. They can hold a cup of coffee or pretend they’re reading a book. There are many different poses you can work with for this idea.
The more available light you use, the better. However, if you need more light, don’t be afraid of using a lamp. Make sure your artificial light is warm so that it complements the atmosphere in your fall photoshoot.
Tell a Story Using Your Surroundings
You can add depth to your portrait photos by telling a story. This is very easy to achieve in any fall photoshoot.
Let’s say that you’re photographing a family. Instead of taking group photos all the time, you can give your models something to do. The children can throw autumn leaves in the air, the parents can play games, etc. You get the idea! These activities will all tell a story about the family and make your fall photos look much more interesting.
You can also use things like:
- Campfires
- Musical instruments
- Vintage cameras
- Pumpkins
Take Advantage of the Golden Hour
Many photographers love fall because of the golden hour. The light has a different and magical look to it during this time of year. You can make use of it twice a day: right after sunrise and right before sunset.
You can use golden hour light in many ways. Your model can:
- Face it directly. This will create a beautiful and even glow on their face. Golden hour light isn’t as harsh as daytime light, so you don’t need to worry about taking unflattering fall portraits.
- Expose one side of their body to the light source. (They should just stand to the side.) This will create interesting shadows on their face.
- Stand with their back facing the sun. This will create backlight, which will create a golden glow around your model. Lighting like this is perfect for silhouettes.
What Outfit to Wear to a Fall Photoshoot
Outfit styles and colours are very important in a fall photoshoot. If you pick colours that are too vibrant, your model will look out of place. Make sure you talk to your models before your photoshoot. Give them the freedom to pick their outfits, but guide them when necessary.
Outfit Colours
No matter what, prioritize your models’ comfort. Their clothes should be comfortable but visually pleasing. The colours should be neutral. Black, white, and grey can work well in any environment.
You can also experiment with shades of beige, brown, and red. Try to avoid clothing with large logos as it can look distracting in your photos.
Outfit Styles
If you don’t know what type of clothing your models should wear, consider these options:
- Trench coat
- Sweater
- Scarf
- Beanie
- Turtleneck
- Cowboy boots
- A very long and elegant dress
Creative Fall Photoshoot Ideas
Take Pictures From Different Angles
Make use of negative space. Negative space is space that isn’t filled with your model. You can achieve this by cropping your photos. The point is to not keep your model in the very centre of your frame. You can fill the negative space with vibrant autumn colours.
A great way to achieve this is to shoot from different angles. If you shoot from a very low angle, you’ll be able to photograph subjects that are usually not visible in conventional portraits.
Use Foregrounds Throughout Your Photoshoot
A foreground is something that’s close to your lens. If you use a large aperture (e.g. f/1.4), the foreground will look like a blob of colour covering a part of your frame. Many portrait photographers use this to add depth and vibrance to their pictures.
What can you use as a foreground? Anything you like! You can use elements of nature, your subject, and other details. There are many, many possibilities. You can partly cover your lens with an orange leaf, your hand, or grass. You can shoot through foliage or a fence.
Take Photos of Reflections
For this tip, all you need is a puddle. If you shoot from the right angle, you’ll be able to capture reflections of trees and clouds. Combined with the texture of water, these reflections will look stunning. You can also use puddles to take surreal photos of your models.
You can use details like this in diptychs, or photo collages.
Use Lightroom Presets to Enhance Your Fall Photos
Once you’re done with your session, you can start perfecting your photos. Custom Lightroom presets can quickly enhance your fall photos and give you more time to actually take photos.
You can download our special presets pack for autumn photos, which comes with 90 autumn presets and 34 brushes. These tools were made exclusively for fall
With the help of a few fall photoshoot ideas, you can take your autumn
